Montessori schools? The good, bad, ugly?

Does anyone have experience with Montessori schools in the lower or upper elementary ages? My public school system has NO gifted programs whatsoever and there is a good AMI Montessori school nearby.

One thing I heard from my 6 year old's teacher is that he doesn't play cooperatively with the other students; he'd prefer to play alone. In fact, the word of the month is "cooperation" and the kids are supposed to write sentences about cooperation and he has a hard time thinking of anything. Would a Montessori school's stress on independence be a bad thing for him? Or do they somehow advocate cooperation?

My 9 year old has had problems with self-motivation. Do unmotivated kids tend to take advantage of a Montessori school's lack of schedules, or is there another way to look at it?

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Clint - posted on 05/14/2013

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@Lauryan "Montessori don't have a lack of schedules either. They just encourage the kids to work to their own schedules. To me its more realistic and more true to real life... When you go to work on a Monday morning, you don't do "x" from 8:30 - 10am. You are expected to get on with your work. And this is what Montessori teaches - there is your work for the week, do it at your own pace. It's what I love about Montessori really - they are teaching the kids to be able to cope more with real life than any other schooling system I can think of."

What planet on you on?? Do you think that when your kid goes to college they are going to let him go at his own pace and turn in the work when they feel like it? NO! They will have timelines and deadlines that if they do not make,they will get a 0 for. Same in the work place. That was a seriously dumb comment, you obviously did not attend college nor do you work as a PROFESSIONAL!

oh yes, and of course the whole unmotivated thing: If they don't finish their work in the allocated time, they have to face the consequences. So once again more realistic to real life. And sure he may try not doing the work for the first while - until he has to face the consequences again and again and realise that what he is doing is only hurting himself.

I would say that Montessori would HELP your son more than anything else

One of the awesome things about Montessori is how they encourage the kids to show compassion for others. When a child has finished their allocated work, they are encouraged to assist the other kids - sometimes younger then themselves. This enables them to build relationships with their peers. They also teach the kids how to resolve issues with each other in a constructive way. This is another way that they encourage thoughtfulness and group work. They also do group projects constantly.

Montessori don't have a lack of schedules either. They just encourage the kids to work to their own schedules. To me its more realistic and more true to real life... When you go to work on a Monday morning, you don't do "x" from 8:30 - 10am. You are expected to get on with your work. And this is what Montessori teaches - there is your work for the week, do it at your own pace. It's what I love about Montessori really - they are teaching the kids to be able to cope more with real life than any other schooling system I can think of.